This is a rarely encountered Chamber Dated 1943 Krieghoff, made for the German Luftwaffe. It is a 1908 Model, 9mm
with a 4" (100mm) Barrel.
The first toggle link is marked
with the Krieghoff monogram, and there is the "V" rear sight on the last toggle
link. The extractor is marked "GELADEN". The bore is very good with
distinctive lands and groove.
The thumb safety is new style, and straw blued.(1460)

In 1934 the Luftwaffe
announced it was seeking bids for military pistols. It is assumed
that Krieghoff had acquired the old Erfurt Luger tooling from Simpson to
enable it to contract for only 10,000 Lugers in 9mm. The chamber
date places the assembly as an
example of the original military contract.

Reichmarshall Hermann Göering as
Commander-in-Chief of the Luftwaffe (German Air Force) was directly
involved in the contract with Heinrich Krieghoff as the corporate head
of Reichwerke Hermann Göering which let Luftwaffe contracts.

Göering entered the army in 1914 as an
Infantry Lieutenant, before being transferred to the air force as a
combat pilot. The last Commander in 1918 of the Richthofen Fighter
Squadron, Göering distinguished himself as an air ace, credited with
shooting down twenty-two Allied aircraft. Awarded the Pour le Merite and
the Iron Cross (First Class), he ended the war as a much decorated pilot
and war hero.

Serial number placement is in the
Krieghoff
military ("semi-exposed") style. They kept the serial number
under the toggles and side plate. An estimated
300 production of this variation. This is fine, well struck example. This Luger has
all matching numbers.

The thumb
safety is marked "Gesichert" and safe is in the down position.
The extractor is marked "Geladen." The barrel is
numbered and proofed and matches the frame. There are extensive LWaA
1st & 2nd acceptance proofs throughout the gun. Clean and finely
struck.

Production commenced in
the Suhl plant in 1934 and by the end of 1937 the 10,000 contract was
completed. All the serial numbers were sequential. As usual a number of
pre-fabricated component parts were made in Suhl for spare parts and
were proofed when inspected (1937).

While there are very few
examples known of the "G" chamber marked date (less than 50 believed
produced) they are believed to be the 1935 production. The "S" dated chambers were begun in 1936,
followed by the "36" and then the "1936" after which
Krieghoff used the full date (4 digits). It is estimated that Krieghoff
manufactured 12200 of the P.08 for the Luftwaffe.

Contrary to popular
opinion that pilots carried the Luger the principle recipient of the
Krieghoff Luger was the German Paratroops ( Fallschirjager) A Luftwaffe general, Kurt Student, was given charge
of airborne training. The Parabellum was the weapon of choice.

Here you can see the extractor marked
GELADEN (Loaded) which raised up when a round was in the chamber. This
was visible in light and you can feel the raised piece in the dark. You
can see the new Stage II proof (stylized) on the receiver and the last two digits
of the serial number on the sear stop.

On the right size one
can observe both Stage II (LWaA 2) proofs and lend support to the
published information that all the parts were made in 1937 and when the
guns were finally assembled beyond the 1937 (10,000 order) after the
adoption of the newer more stylized Stage II in 1938 was applied at the
time the later guns were delivered.

As characteristic of the early contract
Lugers, the polishing prior to bluing of these pistols was excellent and
superior to the other
manufacturers processes. These contract pistols were salt blued in
a bath of 300°F
which produced the uniform premium blue appearance. It has been reported
that after the initial production was completed in 1937; in 1938 after
the German Anschluss in Austrian the machinery was moved to a subsidiary
plant in Kufstein, Austria and no more parts were produced at Suhl.

This relative scarcity contributes to the
spiraling costs of the Krieghoff over the last ten years with good
examples in prime condition very difficult to find. The 1943 remains
very elusive to the collector of Krieghoff's. You are seeing
one of 300 in premium condition from the battlefield of WWII.

Above: Krieghoff marked the inside of the side plate much like the
civilian models. The serial numbers match throughout the gun and the
magazine is matched to the Luger. The locking lever is found on the
bottom of the lever. Proof marks were extensive on the contract
Krieghoffs, with both Stage I and Stage II acceptance proofs
throughout the Luger. Hidden under the side plate is the Eagle 2 proof
on the parts serial number. Below the serial numbered firing pin,
(fluted new style).

The Eagle 2 Proofs and the last two numbers
about the serial number appear in a hidden manner throughout the weapon.
Under the barrel is the gauge markings (horizontally) along with the matching serial
numbers along with the two early Eagle 2 proofs.

This serial number falls
in the range of know 1943 Krieghoffs (11328-11750). The barrel is serial
numbered to the receiver and the magazine (a 122 proofed, utilized by
Krieghoff in lieu of the FXO magazines by Mauser.) The early
magazine bottoms had the Eagle 2 Krieghoff proof facing forward and
later it was turned over to read the same left to right as the serial
number. There is no known reason for this.

Proof marks were extensive on the contract Krieghoffs, with both Stage I and Stage II acceptance proofs
throughout the Luger. The breech block has the serial number on the side
along with the new Stage II proofs while the last toggle link displays
the Eagle 2 Krieghoff proof and no serial number on the rear of the 2nd
toggle line but under the toggle. On the right side is the early
acceptance proof, again indicating that this part was inspected prior to
1939.

FALLSCHIRMJÄGER were
the German paratroops who were a part of the Luftwaffe and (as we
can see in the pictures above) who were armed with the Luger.

There appears to be at least seven
different logos that were used on the Krieghoff over the years. A
very early anchor and city was followed by the sword anchor and just the
city.

This Logo appears as type C-3 (Gibson
Page 84) with the symmetrical blade, the "I" is centered over the "S",
the "U" has a flat bottom, the left point of the anchor is well outside
the "H" in "HK" and the arms of the anchor have the smaller die radius.
Another example of the genuineness of this war survivor.

Since the Krieghoff is one of the most
coveted by the collectors many people attempt to "part" these guns
together or convert another model to a Krieghoff. Close
examination usually reveals these fakes.

Krieghoff's are the
most desirable among collectors. Every collection has a basic
Krieghoff and the more advanced have the "year" variations of
which this is one of the finest in the very rare 1943 series variation.

H.Krieghoff
are said to be the best finished Lugers. As a long established
firearms manufacturer the craftsman and level of finish has always been
superb making their products highly desirable. This Parabellum's bore is
very good and the gun does not show evidence of
being excessively fired. There is very very minimal holster wear
on the end of the muzzle and the top of the side plate raised portion and
side rails. Otherwise it is in excellent + condition. See Kenyon, Lugers At Random, P-328

Above and below you can see the last two
digits of the serial number on the 1st and 2nd toggle and the firing
pin. The early Stage II proof is present on the coupling link.

The
principle recipient of the Krieghoff Luger was the German Paratroops
(Fallschirmjäger) A Luftwaffe general, Kurt Student, was given
charge of airborne training. The Parabellum was the weapon of
choice and issue.

Fallschirmjäger
units made the first airborne
invasion when invading
Denmark on the 9 April1940.
In the early morning hours of Operation Weserübung, they attacked
and took control of Aalborg Air Base which played a key role acting
as a refuel station for the Luftwaffe in the subsequent invasion of
Norway. In the same assault the bridges around Aalborg were taken.
Other airborne attacks during the Battle of Denmark were also
carried out, including one on a fort on the island Masnedø.

Der Führer Adolf
Hitler after giving the Iron Cross to members of the Fallschirmjäger .

Fallschirmjäger were awarded a
total of 134 Knight's Cross of the Iron Crosses between the years
1940–1945. Twenty-four KC were awarded in the west and 27 were
awarded after Crete. Out of the 134 KC, 15 were with oak leaves,
five with oak leaves and swords, and one with oak leaves, swords and
diamonds. Over 54,449 paratroops were killed
in action and over 8,000 are still listed as missing in action.

This is a very hard to find 1943 dated
Krieghoff manufactured Luger beyond the contract of 10,000 for the German Air
Force. These post 1937 Parabellums were delivered in small batches
making them rare by number the day they were produced. 1943 Krieghoff
had an estimated production of only 300 weapons making this a very
collectable gun for the advanced collector of Krieghoff. Any questions or requests for additional information to josef@phoenixinvestmentarms.com This 1943 Luger is offered for
$12.850.00 cash priced over-the-counter.